An Inkling of a Connection
by ryotanimoto16
Summary: A meeting of hearts in a tattoo shop.


Gift Fic for MeeksFaberry and Beta'd by MeeksFaberry

A collection of laughter rose from the empty city street. Few cars drifted by sedately in the moonlight. Doors were closed and lights were out, exclude the night-owl shops and stores that catered to the never sleeping. In the dark street one bright fluorescent sign stood out among the rest. A tasteful combination of whites and blues, filled with a repeating mandala design.

"Tattoos of the Winter" the sign advertised. In the glass windows, the rooms were lit with a light blue glow that faded to a dark purple the further back the room went.

A beautiful woman wandered among the counters and chairs, flitting back and forth. The rowdy bunch of adults crowded around the storefront. A tall blonde woman lowered her dark sunglasses to peer into the store. Careless lavender eyes met with surprised blue ones. The blue eyes quickly narrow in suspscion. Emboldened by the other's attitude, the blonde woman grinned.

"Guys I'm feelin' like a tattoo tonight." she called out to her companions.

The shorter girl next to her sighed as their other companion, a thin blonde boy, cheered. "Aw yeah, bad idea night!" the boy called into the night.

"Dad's gonna be so mad Yang." the girl said.

"First of all, Jaune you always chicken out at the last minute. Second, Ruby think of how proud uncle Qrow would be!" The blonde woman, Yang, tossed her head back with a laugh. She moved past her friends and swaggered into the store.

The pale haired woman with the stunning blue eyes was clearly not impressed. "We don't serve drunks here." she said disapprovingly. She crossed her arms defensively, her white leather jacket squeaked in protest at the quick movement.

A figure steps into the light out of the purple darkness. "More drunk people?" A dark haired beauty murmured.

She too wore a white leather jacket, but hers flowed past her hips and brushed the floor. The woman had a baseball bat tightly gripped in her hand.

"Um." The short girl, Ruby, stepped in front of her sister.

"We're not drunk, we just left a concert." the dark haired woman raised a pierced eyebrow at the girl. Ruby blushed in response, "I mean we left without drinking. I promise" the girl clasped her hands in front of her, eyes hopeful.

The woman sighed, "All right, but if you're lying we'll call the cops."

"Please don't, my dad would kill me." Jaune chimed in.

The dark haired woman stepped closer, sticking her hand out towards Yang.

"I'm Blake and this is my boss Weiss."

Yang took her hand enthusiastically, "I'm Yang and this is my sister Ruby!" Ruby waved slightly to Blake and Weiss.

"And I'm Jaune if anyone cares" Jaune chuckled.

"No one cares" Yang said playfully.

Yang moved around Blake and stuck her hand out to Weiss. "Hope you're willing to deign to shake hands with a customer."

Weiss's eyes narrowed, "Of course I can." She shook Yangs hand viciously. "More importantly are you interested in a tattoo? Or are you here to just cause trouble like the other ruffians."

Yang laughed. "Can't I do a little of both?" she replied with a wink.

Weiss blushed slightly. "What do you want!" she said defensively. "A tattoo." Yang replied, tossing herself into the nearest parlor chair. "Specifically a tattoo of your making. Or are you _just_ an owner?" she challenged.

Weiss huffed, "Of course I can tattoo. I'll do the greatest tattoo you've ever seen!"

Blake, still standing by the door with the others, sighed at the exchange. "Maybe you should ask what _kind_ of tattoo they want?" Blake offered diplomatically.

Weiss blushed again at hearing the giggles from the peanut gallery.

"Actually, I want you to decide." Yang offered.

Both Weiss and Blake froze at the request. Being able to put a design completely of your own making and thought process on another person was a rare opportunity. It usually only happened with extremely loyal clients, who have seen their work done over a course of a few years.

"Are you sure? I mean you just met me." Weiss stared at the woman in disbelief. "You didn't even see my portfolio."

Yang grinned in response. "What you think you can't handle the pressure?"

Weiss pursed her lips. "Fine, but you need to pay upfront."

As they discussed the size of the tattoo, Blake led Ruby into the back of the store where the small waiting area was.

"You can wait here while she works. Do either of you want a tattoo?" Jaune stumbled through a few useless excuses, so Blake turned to Ruby instead.

Ruby gave a rueful smile, "Actually I'm not technically old enough to get a tattoo." The girl raised her shoulders in a shrug.

Blake sighed, "I'll get you a water." She disappeared into another room.

"Chicken." Ruby murmured to Jaune. "Hey, I'm not the one who turned down a beautiful woman over a slight age issue. Just get a henna tattoo and talk to her." Ruby blushed in response. "Stop trying to get me to date every woman we meet." She chided. "Oh C'mon, if she was a hot guy you'd do the same to me" he whispered.

They both froze and turned to look at Blake, who arrived with a new companion. A pretty tanned man with an opened white leather jacket and _no shirt underneath._

"Hey guys, I'm Sun! Who's ready to get a tattoo!"

"I already told you-"

"I AM!" Jaune shouted, cutting off Blake.

Sun laughed, "I love a man with enthusiasm! C'mon down!" He dramatically thrust his arms out towards a tattoo chair in the dark purple glow. Jaune launched out of his seat and plopped into the chair. Sun flicked a switch and the lights above the chair changed to a bright yellow glow.

"Gotta see to tat' amiright?" Sun announced. Jaune didn't respond, too busy looking at the rippling muscles before him.

"So kind stranger," Sun began with a strange accent. "What can I do ya for?"

"Free" Jaune murmured.

"Huh?"

"I mean trees! Maye a forest? Full of uh… trees." Jaune pursed his lips.

"Actually can I get a sword on my back? Like one that extends from my shoulders to my lower back, along my spine?" Sun grabbed a thick binder from his station. They began flipping through it, looking for options while Blake discussed the option of henna tattoos for Ruby.

"So it'll just fade away on its own?"

"Yes, they're a commonly used option for people your age." Blake explained.

Ruby burst into a smile. "That's incredible! I want a rose, but like with petals flowing after it."

Blake nodded and directed her to the station next to Sun's. She flicked on her own light, a light lavender glow.

"Is there a reason all your stations are color coordinated?" Blake smiled slightly. "Yes, We're all pretty teritorial about our spaces so we chose our own lighting to indicate which areas are our own." Ruby's eyes widened at the sight of the smile. She didn't really understand why, but she wanted to see Blake smile more.

Towards the front of the room, Yang took off her coat to prepare for her tattoo.

"I'm going to have it extend from your shoulder to your wrist, essentially it'll be a sleeve work." Yang shivered slightly as Weiss traced the distance along her arm with her finger tips. Yang chuckled, "You sure don't do anything half assed."

Weiss smiled with pride. "If you want half assed work then go to Taurus tattoos three blocks down."

Yang brushed a piece of her hair from her face, and grinned at Weiss. "Looks like princess can trash talk the competition."

Weiss flushed with anger at the nickname. "Don't call me princess." she warned.

The long haired girl grabbed her chair and pulled it closer to her client, her white hair glowing luminously in the colored lights. Weiss sat in the chair and grabbed a sketchbook. Flipping it open, she angled it towards Yang.

"Here is what I was thinking for you. It'll take a few days so you're going to have to come back more than once. If you think it's too much we can switch to something else."

Yang didn't respond. She was too mesmerized by the drawing presented to her. It was a gleaming masterpiece of gunmetal grey and black. It looked like a metal arm that the military would be impressed with if it were real.

"... what about this piece made you think of me?", Yang asked softly. Weiss looked slightly nervous at the question.

"Well you seem like the kind of person who wouldn't let anything stop her. You would get right up and do whatever it takes to finish your goals. I just think that… nothing can stop you."

Weiss fiddled with the pencil on her desk.

"You're free." Her voice lowered. "You'll break through any barriers in your life to be free. Not everyone has the guts to do that."

Yang was quiet while Weiss began to prepare the stencil. Neither acknowledged the others in the back. Ruby, blushing while Blake slowly moved the thin nozzle of a henna paste tube across her skin. Occasionally stopping to look into Ruby's eyes.

Jaune, praying to every god he ever heard of for being able to lie on his stomach, so Sun couldn't see his reddening face while his stencil was being applied. Unknowing of Suns own appreciative looks at Jaunes back.

It would be a long night for the group. Longer still for the days to come.


End file.
